At the gym, anything goes when it comes to your workout. You want to pound out 18 miles on the treadmill? You rock. You want to hang out on the bike, reading the latest issue of Vogue? No judgements here. However, while every gym-goer has a personal experience, the gym is a common space — and there are some unspoken sweat-iqette rules everyone should follow when they're working out together. It's common courtesy. Take notes:
Wipe off your equipment after you use it.
No one wants to grab sweaty dumbbells or lay on a bench soaked in someone's back sweat. Bleeergh.
Wear deodorant.
For the love of God, wear deodorant. Eau de Sweat? More like Ew de Sweat.
Don't hog the machines.
There's a reason there's a cap on machine time during peak hours.
Use the machine you're on.
Don't just sit there texting! There's a line here, people.
Don't ogle.
He might be the most gorgeous dude to ever step foot on a treadmill, but openly ogling will make him feel totally uncomfortable — and you, too, once you've been caught.
Avoid eye contact while on the adductor machine.
It's awkward at best, downright pervy at worst.
Um, no pictures.
There's no dude so hot, no gym fail so funny, that justifies sneaking a cell phone pic. (Betcha $10 your auto flash gives you away, too.)
That goes for braggy gym pics, too.
Even the yoga world is mad at you.
Just put your phone away.
No one wants to hear a one-sided conversation while they're working their butt off.
Inside voices, please.
No one wants to hear a two-sided conversation over the sound of Beyoncé in their headphones, either.
No singing!
If you're having a good enough time to belt out Rihanna, the person next to you is probably not having a good time.
Wear the right clothing.
Cargo shorts, flip flops, jeans — you're being judged. Trust.
Keep offensive gym wear to a minimum.
While we're at it, ditch aggressively sexual duds, too.
I mean, really?
Put your equipment away.
There is no maid trailing after you, picking up your discarded weights. Rack them, or everyone else will be willing you to trip over them.
Quit your grunting.
We get it, you're hardcore.
Keep your shirt on.
You may be proud of your rock hard abs, but save the skin-baring for the beach.
Keep your advice to your self.
The only person qualified to fix my form is the trainer, so you do you and let me do me.
Don't (openly) race the person next to you.
We get it, working out can be a competition — just don't make it obvious.
It's OK to be naked in the locker room.
You just worked out, you look great. Don't let other people make you feel self-conscious.
Respect locker space.
Don't turn getting a locker into The Hunger Games — wait your turn, and you will be rewarded.
Respect personal space, too.
If multiple machines are open, don't choose the one next to the only other person working out. It's like sitting next to a stranger on a totally empty subway car. Weird.
Bring a towel.
We know, most gyms provide them — but if they don't, and you sweat like an iced tea on hot day, do everyone a favor and carry one in your gym bag. It's not like it's heavy.
Don't overestimate yourself.
If you don't know what you're doing, ask for help. Otherwise, you'll end up looking ridiculous.
Don't laugh at anyone else.
As tempting as it might be to whip out your phone for a #gymfail Vine, that's just cruel.
Don't drop the weights.
Is there anything more jarring that the sound of 50-plus pounds hitting the gym floor? Be gentle.
Don't make fun of older people.
If they're still going to the gym, they are better than you.
Skip the full face of make-up.
You don't need it!
Get to class on time.
When everyone's om-ing, do you really want to be the interrupter?
Try not to giggle during vaguely sexual exercises.
Oh, the pelvic thrust.
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